After two weeks' hospitalization for liver cancer, Deputy Minister of Public Security Senior Lieutenant General Pham Quy Ngo passed away aged 60 on Tuesday night.
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The senior official died at Military Central Hospital 108 in Hanoi at 9:05 pm on February 18, according to a report from the Ministry of Public Security.
Ngo had suffered from cancer, and he underwent a liver transplant in Singapore five years ago. However, about a year ago, transplant rejection symptoms appeared and he had to be hospitalized, a source told Tuoi Tre.
About a week before he died, Ngo was sent to Japan for treatment but due to his fatal condition, he was taken back to the hospital … [Read more...]

HA NOI (VNS)— Farmers who were charged with attempting to assault and murder on-duty officials involved in a coercive land seizure in Hai Phong's Tien Lang District last year were given jail terms of up to five years.
Doan Van Vuon and Doan Van Quy were sentenced to five years in prison each. Doan Van Sinh was sentenced to three years and six months, and Doan Van Ve received two years.
Pham Thi Bau and Nguyen Thi Thuong received 18-month and 15-month suspended sentences respectively.
It was recounted at the trial that on October 4, 1993, the Tien Lang District People's Committee allocated 21 hectares of coastal swampland to Vuon for developing aquaculture for 14 years.
Vuon then encroached on another 19.3ha of submerged forest on his own initiative, which resulted in a fine from the district's administration and the right to continue cultivating on the encroached land until October 4, 2007.
On April 7, 2009, the Tien Lang District People's Committee issued Decision … [Read more...]

Russia approves agreement on migrant workers with Vietnam
The agreement was signed in Moscow on October 27, 2008 with the aim of establishing an international legal framework for Russian and Vietnamese guest workers in both countries.
It regulates standard procedures for migrant workers in terms of social and medical care, tax payment, and migration travelling.
It specially covers the legal status of migrant workers to ensure their freedom, individual safety and other legitimate rights under law.
The Federal Council's Foreign Affairs Committee emphasised that the country will create an effective management system to control the flow of migrants and promote bilateral cooperation with Vietnam.
Earlier on October 18, the agreement was ratified by Russia's State Duma (Lower House).
Kon Tum targets repatriation of more volunteer remains
The Central Highlands province of Kon Tum has set a target of bringing home 35 sets of remains of volunteer Vietnamese soldiers fallen in Laos and … [Read more...]

The People's Court of Tien Lang district, Hai Phong city on October 30 rejected a claim lodged by local farmer Doan Van Vuon asking for compensation for damage allegedly caused by land reclamation decisions issued by the Tien Lang district People's Committee.
The plaintiff, who is serving his five-year sentence for murder and resisting on-duty officials, demanded that the People's Committee pay him over 30 billion VND (1.4 million USD) as compensation for material losses and spiritual damage.
Vuon and other farmers involved in the coercive land reclamation in Vinh Quang commune, Tien Lang district, the northern port city of Hai Phong , were tried by the Hai Phong court on April 5 this year on charges of "murder and resisting on-duty officials".
According to the Hai Phong People's Procuracy, the Tien Lang district People's Committee on October 4, 1993 allocated 21 hectares of coastal wetlands to Vuon for aquaculture in 14 years.
Vuon then encroached farther to the sea with an … [Read more...]

A man in the northern province of Thai Binh shot five local land officials on September 11, killing one of them, then killed himself several hours later. The argument, which precipitated the shootings, may be due to his disagreement with the authorities over site clearance.
Previously, local authorities revoked Tran Ky-Ky Ba's resettlement area project covering 9ha, including the land plot of Dang Ngoc Viet's family. Before the revocation, the authorities held a meeting to see how the household would respond, but at that time Viet did not appear upset, said Vice Chairman of Ky Ba Ward People's Committee Pham Van Anh.
Viet's family was compensated with a resettlement land plot, but Viet refused and wanted to receive the cash compensation instead. Then later, he changed his mind again and decided he did want the land plot. But, when he saw the plot, he said it was not facing the right direction for him and therefore was not suitable; so finally he decided to take the cash. In March … [Read more...]

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Nguyen Minh Quang, addressed Vietnam's evolving land use issues, acknowledging that some regulations and coercive tactics are out-of-date and counter-productive.
He pointed out one well-publicised case as a reason for the increased reluctance of local authorities to use coercive tactics to revoke land for large projects. According to a report sent to the National Assembly, this reluctance has increased since the ugly land reclamation incident in Haiphong.
On January 5, 2012, authorities tried to reclaim the land of Doan Van Vuon and his family, but were met with violence. Doan and his relatives, not accepting the decision, put up fences, armed themselves and placed improvised explosives along the perimeter. The incident ended in the injury of seven policemen and soldiers.
The family fled, but were later caught.
According to Nguyen Minh Quang, this incident has had a continuing effect on reclamation, with authorities more … [Read more...]

Nguyen Van Khanh (Center), 52, former vice chairman of Tien Lang District People's Committee, and four other officials involved in a high-profile land revocation case last year. Khanh had his punishment reduced from a jail term of 30 months to a suspended sentence of the same duration for his 'damaging property' conviction at an August 1 hearing. Photo by Pham Hai Sam
The Supreme People's Court has commuted a jail term to suspended sentence for a former senior official of Hai Phong City's Tien Lang District, who last year had instructed a large force of police and soldiers force in the revocation of a local farmer's land.
The court on August 1 handed down a 30-month suspended sentence to Nguyen Van Khanh, former vice chairman of Tien Lang District People's Committee, for his "damaging property" conviction.
He will be put under an additional probation of 42 months.
The judge said he was lenient and accepted Khanh's request for lighter punishment because the victims - the family … [Read more...]

The Hai Phong City People's Court on August 1 reviewed and announced the final sentences given to defendants involved in "destroying property, irresponsibility and causing serious consequences" in relation to a case of coercive land reclamation in Vinh Quang commune, Tien Lang District.
>> Appeal trial held for Tien Lang farmers
The court rejected the appeals of Pham Xuan Hoa, Le Thanh Liem and Pham Dang Hoan, maintaining the original verdict.
It gave Pham Xuan Hoa, former chief of the Natural Resources and Environment Department of Tien Lang district, a 24-month suspended sentence and a 48-month probation term.
Le Thanh Liem, former chairman of Tien Lang District's Vinh Quang Commune, received a 24-month suspended sentence and a 48-month probation service.
Pham Dang Hoan, former secretary of Vinh Quang Commune's Party committee, and Le Van Hien, former chairman of Tien Lang District People's Committee, each received a 15-month suspended prison sentence and a … [Read more...]

HA NOI (VNS)- The Hai Phong City People's Court yesterday reviewed and announced the final sentences given to defendants involved in "destroying property, irresponsibility and causing serious consequences" involvig coercive land reclamation in Vinh Quang commune, Tien Lang District.
The court rejected the appeals of Pham Xuan Hoa, Le Thanh Liem and Pham Dang Hoan, maintaining the original verdict.
It gave Pham Xuan Hoa, former chief of the Natural Resources and Environment Department of Tien Lang district, a 24-month suspended sentence and a 48-month probation term.
Le Thanh Liem, former chairman of Tien Lang District's Vinh Quang Commune, received a 24-month suspended sentence and 48-months' probation.
Pham Dang Hoan, former secretary of Vinh Quang Commune's Party committee, and Le Van Hien, former chairman of Tien Lang District People's Committee, each received a 15-month suspended prison sentence and a 30-month probation period.
The defendants are banned from holding any … [Read more...]

The Appeal Court of the Supreme People's Court on July 30 announced the sentences given to six defendants charged with "murder and resisting on-duty officials" in relation to a case of coercive land reclamation in the northern port city of Hai Phong.
The court rejected the appeals of Doan Van Vuon - said to be the ringleader - and his brother Doan Van Quy. They were each sentenced to five years' imprisonment for murder.
Thanks to mitigating circumstances, Doan Van Sinh received a sentence of two years and nine months in prison, nine months less than that of the original verdict. Doan Van Ve got 19 months in prison, a five month reduction.
Pham Thi Bau and Nguyen Thi Thuong were granted suspended sentences of 18 months and 15 months respectively.
Before the jury retired to consider its verdict, the accused admitted their guilt and explained the cause of their crimes.
According to the statement presented by the Hai Phong People's Procuracy at the April 5 trial, on October 4, … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge - The Supreme People's Court yesterday, July 30, decided to keep the main judgements made last April by the Hai Phong City People's Court related to a high-profile land eviction in the city's Tien Lang District.
Appeal trial held for Tien Lang farmers
Specifically, Doan Van Vuon as the instigator of the case in which six farmers attempted to assault and kill on-duty officials involved in a coercive land seizure in the district early last year was sentenced to five years' jail.
Doan Van Quy, as the most active supporter, was also given a jail term of five years.
Doan Van Sinh and Doan Van Ve whose health is reported to be weak, were given a reduction in their jail terms by nine and five months respectively.
Accordingly, Sinh was re-sentenced to two years and nine months and Ve 19 months.
Pham Thi Bau and Nguyen Thi Thuong received 18-month and 15-month suspended sentences respectively.
On November 24, 2011, the Tien Lang District People's Committee passed a … [Read more...]

The Appeal Court of the Supreme People's Court heard an appeal filed by defendants convicted in the coercive land reclamation case in Haiphong, upholding the sentences of four out of six defendants.
The defendants were Doan Van Vuon, 50 years old of the district's Vinh Quang commune, and his accomplices are Doan Van Quy, 47 (Vuon's brother), Doan Van Sinh, 56, and Doan Van Ve, 39, Nguyen Thi Thuong, 43 (Vuon's wife), and Pham Thi Bau, 31 (Quy's wife).
The court rejected the remission petition of Doan Van Vuon, Doan Van Quy, Nguyen Thi Thuong and Pham Thi Bau, maintaining the judgments handed down during the first trial on April 5, 2013. Both Vuon and Quy were sentenced to five years in prison. Pham Thi Bau was given an 18-month suspended sentence and Nguyen Thi Thuong was given a 15-month suspended sentence.
Sinh and Ve were given reduced sentences. The appeals court sentenced Sinh to 33 months in prison, a 9-month reduction, while Ve was given 19 moths, a 5-month … [Read more...]

VGP - The Appeal court on Tuesday issued final verdicts for six farmers in Tien Lang District, Hai Phong City, who were charged with "murder and resisting on-duty officials".
The six defendants are Doan Van Vuon, Doan Van Quy, Doan Van Sinh, Pham Thi Bau, Nguyen Thi Thuong, and Doan Van Ve.
Doan Van Vuon was the ringleader, who together with others, erected defense fences, planted self-made mines and used home-made guns to fire at those executing Tien Lang District People's Committee's decision to revoke land allocated to him in 1993.
Vuon and Quy were sentenced to five-year imprisonment for murder, no change was made to their original verdicts.
Meanwhile, Sinh will be kept in detention for two years and nine months, or nine months less than the previous verdict and Ve will stand behind bars for 19 months, a five month reduction.
Bau and Thuong received suspended sentences of 18 months and 15 months, respectively./.
By Huong Giang
Appeal trial held for Tien Lang farmers … [Read more...]

Doan Van Vuon, who led his relatives in an armed resistance against local authorities' attempt to evict them from their land, at his appeal hearing. Photo by Thien Binh
The Supreme People's Court has upheld four and reduced two sentences for six farmers convicted of attempted murder or resisting government officials in Vietnam's most high-profile land revocation case to date.
The court Tuesday upheld the five-year sentences of Doan Van Vuon and his younger brother Doan Van Quy, for attempted murder, which were given to them by the Hai Phong City People's Court in April.
Also convicted of attempted murder, Vuon's older brother, Doan Van Sinh, had his prison term reduced from 42 to 33 months, while his son, Doan Van Ve, saw his reduced from 24 to 19 months.
The judge said he was lenient due to Sinh and Ve's honesty and the case's mitigating circumstances.
Sinh said he recognized his acts were serious and illegal, proposing the court reduce his sentence due to his poor health and … [Read more...]

The Supreme People'sAppellateCourt rendered on July 30 its guilty verdict and the sentences dealt six defendants charged with "murder and resisting on-duty officials" in connection with a case of coercive land reclamation in the northern port city of Hai Phong.
The court unanimously rejected the appeals of Doan Van Vuon - said to be the ringleader - and his brother Doan Van Quy and they were each sentenced to five years' imprisonment for murder.
Thanks to mitigating circumstances, Doan Van Sinh received a sentence of two years and nine months in prison, nine months less than that of the original verdict. Doan Van Ve got 19 months in prison, a five month reduction.
Pham Thi Bau and Nguyen Thi Thuong were granted suspended sentences of 18 months and 15 months respectively.
Before the jury retired to consider its verdict, the accused admitted their guilt and explained the cause of their crimes.
According to the statement presented by the Hai Phong People's Procuracy at the April … [Read more...]

The Hanoitimes - The Appeal Court of the Supreme People's Court o­n July 29 began the appeal trial of six defendants charged with "murder and resisting o­n-duty officials" in relation with a case of coercive land reclamation in the northern port city of Hai Phong.
The first day of the three-day trial saw the presence of five out of seven victims of the case , who are officials and former officials of Tien Lang district. The two others ha ve sound reasons for their absence.
The six defendants filed their appeal following the first instance trial o­n April 5, 2013 , during which the Hai Phong People's Court sentenced Doan Van Vuon and Doan Van Quy to five years in prison, Doan Van Sinh - three years and six months, and Doan Van Ve - two years.
Pham Thi Bau and Nguyen Thi Thuong were given 18-month and 15-month suspended sentences respectively.
According to the statement presented by the Hai Phong People's Procuracy at the April 5 trial, o­n October 4, 1993 the Tien Lang district … [Read more...]

HA NOI (VNS)- The Supreme People's Court opens two court cases today to review judgements made last April related to a high-profile land eviction in northern Hai Phong City's Tien Lang District.
Last April, Hai Phong City People's Committee sentenced several farmers who were charged with attempting to assault and kill on-duty officials involved in a coercive land seizure in the district early last year. The farmers were given jail terms of up to five years.
Doan Van Vuon and Doan Van Quy were both sentenced to five years jail. Doan Van Sinh was sentenced to three years and six months, and Doan Van Ve received two years. Pham Thi Bau and Nguyen Thi Thuong received 18-month and 15-month suspended sentences respectively.
However, local officials involved in the matter also found themselves in court last April. Four former officials responsible for destroying farmers' property in the land dispute received suspended sentences of between 15 to 30 months.
Former deputy chairman of Tien … [Read more...]

The Labourer newspaper discussed a resolution on extending the land lease tenure for households or individuals with Dinh Xuan Thao, of the National Assembly's Institute for Legislative Studies.
What are your thoughts on the National Assembly's recent resolution to extend the land-lease tenure for family households or individuals who grow annual plants, develop aquaculture or make salt?
One of the main reasons that prompted the amendments of the Land Law was the fact that land-lease tenures under the law were due to expire on October 15 this year. As the deadline approached, there have been huge numbers of complaints regarding this provision. The most prominent case is farmer Doan Van Vuon in Hai Phong Province who tried to protect his land from being taken away by local authorities with improvised guns and homemade mines.
As it turned out, the Land Law amendments could not be passed in the NA's last working session and the future of the law would not be decided until the next … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge - The trial of five local officials involved in a land seizure case in Tien Lang District, Hai Phong City, concluded yesterday, April 10, following a three day hearing.
The People's Court of Hai Phong City handed a 30-month sentence to Nguyen Van Khanh, former vice chairman of the Tien Lang People's Committee, on charges of damaging citizen's property.
Pham Xuan Hoa, former chief of the Natural Resources and Environment Department in Tien Lang, and Le Thanh Liem, former chairman of Tien Lang's Vinh Quang Commune, were both given 24-month suspended sentences on the same charges.
Pham Dang Hoan, former secretary of Vinh Quang Commune's Party committee, got a 15-month suspended prison term.
Le Van Hien, former chairman of the Tien Lang People's Committee, was given a 15-month suspended sentence for "irresponsibility causing serious consequences" under the Criminal Code.
The jury also decided that the five defendants have to pay compensation for property … [Read more...]

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has demanded that officials involved in what he said was an illegal land revocation that turned violent last month be punished severely.
Chief of the Government Office Vu Duc Dam, who announced the PM's conclusions at a meeting on Friday in Hanoi, said the decision by Hai Phong City's Tien Lang District authorities to revoke the land of Doan Van Vuon broke the 2003 Land Law.
Vuon's case could not be categorized as one of the five kinds of cases in which authorities are allowed to revoke land under the law, Dam explained.
Dung also said the revocation had been carried out improperly in several ways.
He asked Hai Phong authorities to withdraw all land revocation decisions issued by the district's People's Committee.
According to Dung, Tien Lang District authorities also violated the law when allocating the land, a 19.3-hectare swampland, to Vuon in 1997 for 14 years.
The allocation was made by authorities in response to a proposal by Vuon, who … [Read more...]